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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27253552">The Business End of a Guitar</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Random_Nerd3/pseuds/Random_Nerd3'>Random_Nerd3</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>JatP Whumptober 2020 [24]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Julie and The Phantoms (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>90'S, Alex Gets Whumped, Gen, Hate Crimes, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Mugging, Multi, Pre - Death, Protective Luke Patterson, Protective Reggie (Julie and The Phantoms), Whumptober 2020, Whumptober Day 28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 09:22:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,159</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27253552</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Random_Nerd3/pseuds/Random_Nerd3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Alex shows up almost an hour late to rehearsal he reveals he'd been mugged by a group of homophobic people who'd been heckling Sunset Curve at their recent gigs. Luke and Reggie do their best to take care of their injured friend.</p><p>Or</p><p>here its whumptober, have some Alex whump for a rainy day.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alex &amp; Bobby | Trevor Wilson &amp; Luke Patterson &amp; Reggie, Alex/Luke Patterson/Reggie (Julie and The Phantoms)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>JatP Whumptober 2020 [24]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1949821</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>270</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Business End of a Guitar</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi!</p><p>I should probably go back and see which prompt days I'm missing in order to make this series complete huh? Meanwhile, I hope you like this Alex-centric whump piece written from Luke's POV.</p><p>Enjoy!</p><p>~ R</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>Such Wow. Many Normal. Oops.</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Accident | Hunting Season |</span>
  <b> Mugged</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luke paced the length of the studio, too anxious to even </span>
  <em>
    <span>try</span>
  </em>
  <span> and start playing. His runway walk, as Reggie liked to call it, was putting Alex’s to </span>
  <em>
    <span>shame</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Speaking of their drummer, Alex was late for practice, they’d all been late before… today though, Alex was a full</span>
  <em>
    <span> forty minutes</span>
  </em>
  <span> late to practice. They had tried to play without him, but it was evident the drumbeat was crucial for everyone to stay on the same beat. Bobby had waited around for twenty minutes before his mom called him, saying he was late for dinner. “Relax dude,” Reggie said from his spot on the couch. He had his banjo in his lap, plucking along to some country song in his head. “If anything happened at home we’d be the first to know, right?” Reggie asked, unknowingly sending another wave of anxiety through Luke. Running his hand through his hair Luke switched directions.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you think they found out?” Luke asked, words flying out of his mouth rushed and pushed together. “I mean, if they found out they wouldn’t do anything to hurt him, right? Like, the Joyners are chill, they’re not like your parents or Bobby’s. They’re respectable, they go to </span>
  <em>
    <span>church</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Luke said emphasizing the word. He knew all about appearances first hand though, how Reggie’s parents played it normal if there was company over. How wherever Bobby showed up to practice with a black eye he’d say he got it in a fight at school. Not that Luke could ever fact check his claims, since Bobby went to a school in a different district than the one he, Alex, and Reggie went to.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Luke,” Reggie said quietly. Luke continued to pace, shuddering slightly at the chill that blew through the room. He ignored Reggie’s call though, and at this point Luke was surprised they didn’t have to buy a new rug yet. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Luke,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Reggie repeated, sounding more serious. Luke stopped pacing in front of his couch, then realized Reggie was looking at the studio doors.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Holy </span>
  <em>
    <span>shit</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Luke said when he saw Alex standing in the entrance of the studio. He rushed forward to give Alex a hug and make sure he was okay, but Alex flinched back like he was expecting to get hit. Luke furrowed his eyebrows and stopped when he was three feet away from the drummer.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hi Luke,” Alex said quietly. He looked skittish, anxious. Alex’s behavior reminded Luke of a stray animal. Luke tried to force himself to calm down, if Alex sensed how wound up he was he’d bolt and Luke would have to wait until Monday to talk to him. Alex’s hood was pulled over his head and his fanny pack strap was tied instead of buckled. Luke glanced at Reggie for help, but the bassist just shrugged back helplessly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Want to sit down?” Luke asked slowly, not wanting to freak his friend out any more than he already was. Luckily Alex nodded, and shuffled forward slowly. His right arm was pressed against his rib cage, and every time Alex breathed it sounded short, stuttered, like he was injured. Luke guided Alex carefully to the couch, Reggie moved down so Alex had space.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t -” Alex started before cutting himself off. Luke untied his fanny pack for him, lying it on the ground at his feet. With slow tentative hands Luke pushed Alex’s hood back and gasped.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Who the </span>
  <em>
    <span>hell</span>
  </em>
  <span> did this to you?” Luke asked, staring at the black and blue patterns on Alex’s face in horror. Alex winced at the question, but refused to speak. Luke felt anger start to boil under his skin, but he forced himself to push it down. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Alex first,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Luke thought as he exchanged a look with Reggie, </span>
  <em>
    <span>revenge later.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Luke reached up and carefully pressed the palm of his hand against Alex’s face. Alex winced at the touch, turning his face away from Luke’s hand.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know,” Alex answered back. Luke took the drugstore crack-and-shake the ice pack from Reggie. After they all started living in the studio Bobby figured it would be worth it to invest in first aid supplies and Luke was finally grateful that they did. Reggie had already activated the ice pack so Luke handed it to Alex, letting him dictate where the most of the pain was. Alex’s split lip made it hard for Luke to understand exactly what the drummer’s story was, but he wasn’t stupid. Apparently a group of homophobic assholes who’d been harrassing the band all week had been stalking the band’s usual hang out spots waiting for Alex to be alone. When they saw their chance they took it and beat the shit out of him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Alex I’m so sorry,” Reggie said as Luke settled between them on his couch. Alex frowned slightly, only one lip curving downward.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“For what? I ‘out es on myself,” Alex asked, sounding honestly confused. Luke really wanted to track down the assholes who mugged Alex and show them a thing or two about the business end of a guitar. Unfortunately, Alex decided his shoulder made for a good pillow so Luke was stuck.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You didn’t deserve this Alex,” Luke said quietly as Alex laid himself across his and Reggie’s laps. Reggie nodded in agreement,</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, the assholes who did this to you have another thing coming.” Luke looked at the bassist and was surprised to find anger fueled in his eyes. Angry Reggie was </span>
  <em>
    <span>scary</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Luke made a mental note to never make him pissed off.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“‘M fine,” Alex mumbled, finally starting to relax. The ice seemed to be helping his face, the lighter bruises already disappearing. Alex attempted to stand back up, but Luke just pulled him back to the couch.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Nope</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Luke said, hugging Alex’s legs close. “You’re stuck here with us Alex,” Luke said teasingly. Reggie nodded, then started to play with Alex’s hair. Luckily Alex either didn’t have the strength to get up again, or just gave up on trying to get away because he just let them take care of him for the rest of the night. Luke hated whenever his brothers were hurting and would often go into what they called his ‘mom mode’. Alex didn’t seem to have any complaints about Luke’s protective behavior tonight though, so Luke took it as a win. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When everything got settled and they pulled out the mattress they stored in the loft for emergencies Luke and Reggie both collapsed on it, exhausted. The were lying on the floor close to the couch, so if Alex needed anything during the night he’d be able to kick them awake. Luke laid content, listening to the sounds of his brothers breathing. The sound of Reggie’s heartbeat, beating in his chest. His family was alive, and he was going to do his damn best to keep them that way, no matter what any homophobic assholes said. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Yell at me on Tumblr: @Random-Nerd-3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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